4 or 6.5 inch pads

jw · 05-17-08, 05:01

I've been using a pc with 6.5 pads for a few years. I've never had amazing success, just marginal results. Lately i've been using 106ff. It seems a lot of people like using 4 inch pads. Why is this? Are they easier to work with? Should I try that or do i just need to break down and buy a rotary?

SuperBee364 · 05-17-08, 05:12

4" pads will give you much better results with the PC. The pressure you can apply to the PC before it starts to bog down will be applied to a smaller surface area which will give you more correction power. If you have a few years experience with a PC, you just might want to consider the rotary. Once you get the hang of it, you'll be amazed at how powerful its correcting power is.

Anal1 · 05-17-08, 06:01

Get a Makita. I haven't had a ton of experience with a PC and just started using the rotary and I can't get enough of it.

scary bill · 05-18-08, 01:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by jw

I've been using a pc with 6.5 pads for a few years. I've never had amazing success, just marginal results. Lately i've been using 106ff. It seems a lot of people like using 4 inch pads. Why is this? Are they easier to work with? Should I try that or do i just need to break down and buy a rotary?

What isn't the PC doing that you want?
If its not removing defects, try 4" pads. Or a more aggresive polish, 106ff is't really that much for correction.

Threre are a few times that a rotary is the only tool for the job, but if the PC works why fix it?

Accumulator · 05-18-08, 09:38

Yeah, 4" pads make the PC capable of some pretty impressive correction. I've removed RIDS from Audi clear with that combo, though it did take a while. And yeah, gotta use the right product too.

I *never* got good results with the PC using larger pads, not even on the Jag's single stage lacquer.

jw · 05-18-08, 11:33

If I do decide to go with a rotary what size of pads do most people use?

SuperBee364 · 05-18-08, 12:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by jw

If I do decide to go with a rotary what size of pads do most people use?

Smaller pads, like 6 or 6.5". I've stayed with the smaller size pads. I have a bunch of the bigger ones, but rarely use them. Just a matter of what you're more comfortable with.

D&D Auto Detail · 05-18-08, 01:05

I like 4 and 5.5" pads with the rotary.

Holden_C04 · 05-18-08, 01:27

I LOVE 4" pads with the PC. I could NEVER use 6.5" pads on a D/A again. It really is night and day the difference.

buja · 05-19-08, 06:38

what about 5.5 ?

Accumulator · 05-19-08, 07:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by buja

what about 5.5 ?

Nah..just not the same as the 4". Griot's sold ~5" pads for the PC back when they first started selling that machine, and I probably have more experience with those than I do with 6-6.5" ones (the ~5" are what I tried on the Jag).

CleanGSR · 05-19-08, 07:55

5.5" pads work great for me. I've not used 4" pads but compared to a 6.5" pad, I can put about 3-4 times the pressure before it "bogs" down and correction is about 2-3 times better/faster than with the 6.5" pads. I think the 5.5" pads are the best of both worlds........small enough to give good correction, but large enough to not take forever to do a panel.